Inside releasing means for closures of vaults and the like



-INSIDE RIEJLEASING` MEANS FORvCLOSURES OF VAULTS AND THE LIKE l vFiled Jan. 14, 1956 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Sept. Z8, 1937 UNITED STATES INSIDE RELEASING MEANS FOR CLOSURES F VAULTS AND THE LIKE Paul S. Millice, Hamilton, Ohio, assgnor to Herring-Hall-Marvin Safe Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application January 14, 1936, Serial No. 59,070

16 Claims.

The present invention relates to releasing means for the locking means of doors and other closures of safe vaults and other compartments, operable from the inside of the compartment, in

which a person or persons may be accidentally or feloniously imprisoned, in order that the person or persons so imprisoned may prevent their suiocation, may give an alarm, or may effect their release.

- It often happens that during a hold-up or robbery, the person or persons in the place in which the hold-up or robbery is taking place, are forced to enter a vault or other compartment, and are locked therein while thefelony is being committed, to prevent yinterference with .the felony, to prevent the giving of an alarm, and to permit the felon or felons to make their escape. Frequently, too, persons are locked in safe vaults and other compartments accidentally, and at such times it often happens that no one is present who can open the door or other closure thereof.

It is an object of my invention therefore, to provide novel means whereby the door or other closure of a compartment may be opened from the inside of the compartment by a person irnprisoned in the compartment.

It is the object of my invention further, to provide novel mechanism operating independently of theflock for the closure whereby the lock may be by-passed and the closure opened from the inside of a-compartment; and, further, to provide inside releasing mechanism, simple in construction, which can yreadily be attached to existing closure locking mechanisms.

The present invention consists in novel means whereby to interrupt the train of locking mechanism from the inside of the compartment locked thereby, by a' person who may vbe'accidentally or feloniously imprisoned in the compartment; further, in novel tripping mechanism operable from the inside of the fcompartment for disengaging a part of the locking mechanism whereby the locking means fora closure'of the compartment maybe unlocked from the inside of the compartment; and, further, in providing novel tripping means between the lockrv andthe bolt work for a closureoperable from the inside of the compartmentclose'd by said closure.

The invention is 'exemplified as applied to the entrance door of asafevault, although it is obvious that the same may be applied to other closures and toelosure's of other compartments.

' Inthe drawings:

. Fig. 1 is an elevational 55 view-Of @119.111.5196 Qf. a

vault door having my improved releasing means n applied thereto, the wall of the safe vault being shown partly'broken away, and the bolt work and hinging means being shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section-al View of the same, taken on the irregular line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and partly broken away.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a detail of my improved device, taken in section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 2, showing the parts. in locked relation. f

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of the same taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, and showing the latch member andthe plunger in assumed positions in dotted lines.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the same taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional View, showing the bolt operating means and the locking means therefor in bolted and locked relation, taken in the plane of the irregular line 6-6 of Fig. 2, and partly broken away.

Fig. 7 Yis a similar View, showing the bolt operating means and the locking means therefor in unlocked and unbolted relation as operated from the insidev of the compartment.

Fig. 8 is a vertical section of a modification of the invention, taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 9; and,v

Fig. 9 is a horizontal section of -the same taken on the line 9--9 of Fig. 8, and showing the latch member and the plunger in assumed positions in dotted lines. l

An opening II in the wall I2 of a usual vault is closed by a vault door I3,.. the flange I4 of which `seats ,ina yrabbet- I5 inthe margin of the wall ofthe opening Il. Usual bolts I6 carried by the door are movable lengthwise and may be moved past the edgeof the door andinto holes I'I in theinner face of the wall oi" the opening to'hold the door closed. The compartment/in the inside of the vault is designated by the numeral I8.

The vault door exemplied comprises a front plate 2l, a Z-shaped marginal edge piece 22 being. rigidly secured, as by welding, to the margin of the front plate at its four edges, and extending continuously around the door. The intermediate web 23 of the Z-shaped edge piece 22 is provided with'openings 24, forming bearings for the door bolts I6. 'I'hese door bolts are shown at the swinging edge ofthe door, the door being hinged at its opposite edge to the opposite wall 250i the door opening II` by usual hinges 26, stationary lugs 21 on the doo'a'entering keeper holes 28 in said wall |2 for additionally holding the door in locked relation.

A usual inside cover plate 29 rests on the inner edges of the Z-shaped pieces 22 and is suitably secured in place. It spans the space between the edge pieces at the respective margins of the door.

The bolts are rigidly connected by an actuating bar 3|, which is located in rabbets 32 in the inner ends of said bolts, the bolts being fixed to said bar by rivets 33. g Links 34 are pivoted to said bar at one of their ends by shoulder rivets 35 and to one of the corners of bell crank plates 35, 31, at their other ends by shoulder rivets 38. The plates 36, 31 are pivoted .to the inner face of the front plate 2| on usual studs .39, 4.9, secured to said front plate.

Links 43, 44, are respectively pivoted at their outer ends to another of the corners of the bell crank plates by shoulder rivets 45, 46, and at their adjacent ends to an operating arm 41 by shoulder rivets 48, 49.

A mounting plate 5| is fastened to the front plate 2| of the door and is'spaced therefrom as by having spacing collars 52 received between said vmounting plate and said front plate. Screws 53 vpassing through said mounting plate and said spacing collars are threaded into the front plate and yrmly `position the mounting plate.

Thedouble'operating arm 41 for the bolt work of the door is securely fastened to the inner end of a rock shaft 55, the outer end of this rock shaft V being ,provided with an operating handle 5E. The operating arm is provided with a hole 51 shaped to fit the inner square end 58 of the rockshaft. Avvasher 59 is located on this inner end and bears against the operating arm, which in turn bears upon the shoulders 69 formed by the squaring of. said inner end of the rock shaft. A nut 6| is threaded over the reduced threaded extension 62 of said rock shaft and clamps the operating arm securely to the' rock shaft.

The rock shaft 551is journaled in a bearing 65 in the front plate 2| of'the'door and in a flanged bushing"66 received in'a'bearing 61 in the mountingplate .5|. The rockable operating arm 41 and shoulders 68 and 69,.respectively on the rock shaft 55 and on the bushing 66, coacting respectively with the front plate and the mounting plate, serve to position said rock shaft endwise.

When the operating arm 41 has been rocked to move the door bolts |6 into the holes'provided for them, it is desired to lock the bolts on this position. For thus locking said bolts a -lock 1| isprovided, shown fastened Aby usual means to the mountingrplate. This lock is shown as of the `permutation type, the kind vvmost commonly used in the present construction, but a keyoperated or other 'lock maybe used.

The lock exemplied isprovided with an operating dial 12 for rotating suitable tumblers, to aline their slots, whereupon a bar 13 on one end of a connecting link .14 drops into said slots,V

and a,hook115 on said end drops into a coacting slotinone of the tumblers, as is usualin such locks,.so that, upon further .rotation of the dial, or .upon rotation -of .the-keyof a key-lock, if the latter be employed, :a lockbolt 16 is .actuated to move the lock bolt into obstructing relation with `the operating armfof the bolt'work of the door. The other endof the connecting link is pivoted'to-the'lock'bolt by a shoulder rivet 11. In suchrelationyrotation of the-dial, or of the key, in'thevopposite direction withdraws, the '196k bolt from the operating arm of the bolt work of the door.

In the present construction the lock bolt, when moved into locking position, as shown in Fig. 6, is inserted into the space between a lug 18, on the operating arm, and a block 19 secured to the mounting plate 5|. This securely locks the door. To open the door it is necessary to operate the lock mechanism by means of the dial .12, or of the key if a key lock be employed, to

withdraw the lock bolt and free the operating .arm 41, which permits release operation of the door bolt work by operation of the handle 56.

A stop .8| isxedto the mounting plate 5| for limiting the extent of movement of the operating arm 41 in locking and unlocking directions. The lug 18 on the operating arm contacts the stop when the door bolt work has been moved intobolted position. The operating arm is provided with a tail 82 Which contacts the stop when the door bolt Work has been moved into unbolted position and the bolt work is unbolted.

There is an auxiliary operating arm 83 operatively contacting the rockable arm 41 for unbolting the door bolt work from the inside of the vault. The auxiliary operating arm is xed to the outer end of an inner rock shaft 84. The inner end of this rock shaft is provided with an operating handle 85 at the inner face of the cover plate 29 and operable from the inside of the Vault or compartment. (Figs. l and 2).

The auxiliary operating arm is provided With a hole 51 shaped to fit the outer square end 58 of the inner rock shaft. A washer 59 is located Vover this outer end and bears against the auxiliary operatingarm, which in turn bears upon the shoulders 69 formed by the squaring of said outer end of the rock shaft. A nut 6 is threaded over the reduced threaded extension 62 of the inner rock shaft and clamps the auxiliary operating arm securely to this rock shaft.

The inner rock shaft is journaled in a flanged bushing 89 received in an opening 99 in the inner plate 29 of the door. The flange provides a shoulder 9| seating against the inner face of Said inner plate. A collar 92 is threaded over said bushing and serves to clamp said inner plate between said shoulder and the inner end of said collar.

The means herein exemplified for releasing the door bolt work from the inside of the vault or compartment will now be described.

There is a releasable member inthe train of locking mechanism for interrupting this train and permitting release of the door bolt Work. This releasable member is exemplified as operatively located between the lock and the bolt work, .being shown as a latch member ll, exemplified as mounted on the lock bolt 16, although it is obvious that it may be otherwise supported, as onthe operating arm 41, for instance, as shown in the'modication exemplified in Figs. 8 and 9, without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the accompanying claims.

The mounting of the latch member may be had by providing it'with lugs |92 which coact snugly with'lugs |93 on the Youter end of the lock bolt 16, a pivotpin |94 having snug bearing in said lugs. A coil spring |95 is located about said pin in a recess |96 between the lugs |93. The spring has one end |01 located in a hole |98 in the end 0f the body of the lock bolt, another end |99 of the spring bearing against the outer face of the latch member. The body of the bolt and the latch'memberlare provided with coacting contact are at the inner face of the door.

"bolt means comprising a lock'bolt having a body portion 'and 'a transversely movable portion thereon, said lock-bolt arranged tobe moved into n `faces fHll, H I, totarrest nresilient movement of "the latch member in a position so that the latch member is normally located in obstructing locking position between the locking mechanism and the bolt work. The corner of thelatch member on the side ofV its pivot opposite toits shoulder i's shown cut away., as at H2, to permit swing- 'ing of the latch member.

V(Fig. 4).

A plunger H5 is axiallyslidable in a sleeve H6 located in an opening H1 in the innerplate 29 and having a flange H8 at one side of said plate. A spacing collar H9 is located'about said'sleeve at the other side of said plate. lThe sleeve is secured to the plateby a nut" IZB threaded over the threaded end of the sleeve, clamping saidflange -inside handle 85 to unbolt, th-e bolt work of the door and enable the door to be opened from the inside of the vault or other'com'partment for release of `anyonewho may be imprisoned therein. This lug may be provided with a clearance face |23 to enable it to move alongside of the latch member.

Figs. 8 and 9 represent a modication, in which the latch member is pivoted to the operating arm and forms the looking lug, similar parts being designated by similar reference numerals raised to the series 2M. In order to insure actuation of the latch member throughout its ymovement with the operating arm, the latch' member of the modication may be provided with a. tail |25, which may ride upon the outer end of the plunger during operation of the door bolt work, and to prevent the plunger being moved into interfering relation with the operating arm.

The inner handle 85 andthe head |2| `of the plunger H5 are the only operating parts of the present exempliiication of my invention which While thehead |2| is under ordinary circumstances hardly noticeable, its location makes it possible for even an uninstructed person to ,open'the ,door from the inside. The natural reaction ofa person locked in the vault is to attempt to turn the handle with one hand while pushing on `the door With.,the other and during such attempt the plunger will be pressed, either accidentally or intentionally. Even a person becoming frantic and struggling wildly 'to' open the door, would undoubtedly at some time during his struggles accidentally operate the plunger and the inner handle correctly to free himself.

The plunger H5 orinner operating part for the latch member icl is retracted by the spring |55 when the latch `member reassumes its no-rmal position, While I have shown the inner operating part for the latch member as a plunger, is it obvious that it may assume other forms, and that other changes in construction maybe made, without departing froml the spirit ofmy invention as set forth in the accompanying claims.

I claim: Y

1. In a door locking mechanism, the combination of bolt means for said door, an operating handle for said boltvmeans, and a lock for said obstructing relation with said bolt means'when said door is bolted, and 'means to movesaid movable portion of said lock bolt transversely independentlyioflsaid lock'and body portion'of said lock bolt A'out of obstructing relation with said ybolt means whereby said doorr may be unbolted .by manipulation of rsaid handle.

2: In a doorflocking. mechanism, the combination of bolt meansAfor said door, an loperating handle for said bolt means, a lock having an operable part provided with an independently movable element for engaging said bolt means and locking said bolt means against movement, and means to actuate said movable element out of engaging relation with said bolt means independently of said lock for disengaging said independently movable element from said bolt means during locked relation of said lock.

3.V In a door locking mechanism, the combination of bolt means for said door, an operating arm for said bolt means, a handle for said operating arm whereby said operating arm may be moved for bolting and unbolting said door, and a lock having a lock bolt and a movable extension pivoted to said lock bolt, said lock bolt arranged to be moved for movement of said extension into and vout of obstructing relation with said operating arm by manipulation of said lock, and said movable extension arranged to be swung relatively to said lock bolt out of obstructing relation with said operating arm While said lock bolt is in locking position.

fl. In a door locking mechanism, the combination of bolt means for said door, an operating arm for said bolt means, a handle for said operating arm whereby said operating arm 'may be moved for bolting 'and unbolting said door, a lock having a lock bolt and a movable extension pivoted to said lock bolt, said lock bolt arranged to be moved for movement of said extension into and 'out of obstructing relation with said operating arm by manipulation of said lock, and means independent of said lock for moving said movable extension out of obstructing relation vwith. said operating arm While said lock is in locking position.

5. yIn closure locking means for. a compartment, the combinationfof a lock kcomprising a bolt and a coacting part for said bolt, means whereby-to operate said lock from the outside of said compartment, said bolt and said coacting part being a pair of members, one of said members comprising a movable element coacting with the other of said members when said lock is in locked condition, and means operable solely from th-e inside of said compartment independent of said rst-named means to place said movable element in unlocking relation to said other of said members whereby to open said closure from the inside of said compartment during such locked condition of said lock.

6. In combination, in means to lockthe door of a vault, a lock comprisinga bolt, anda door Cil latching part coacting with said bolt, said bolt and said door latching part being a pair of e members, one'of said members comprising an independently movable locking element coacting with the other of said members to lock the doork when said bolt is in locking position, said independently movable locking elementl movable independently of movement by said lock bolt into release relation with said other of said members,

Yand means operable from the inside of the vault for so independently moving said independently movable locking element for unlocking the door in an emergency. v

7. In inside releasing means for a closure of a compartment, thecombination of alock comprising a lock bolt, a bolt Work for the closure comprising a part 4coacting With said lock bolt,

`said lock bolt movable by said lock intoand out of the path of said part for locking and unlocking said bolt Work, said lock bolt and said part constituting a pair of `coacting members one of which is movable out of the path of the other independent of said movement by said lock for unlocking said bolt Work, and means for so moving said movable member from the inside of said compartment.

8. In inside releasing means of the character described, the combination of a lock comprising a lock bolt, a coacting part therefor operating With the bolt Work, said lock arranged to move said lock bolt into and out of locking relation with said coacting part, said lock bolt and said coacting part constituting a pair of members one of which is movable out of locked relation independent of said lock actuation, means operable from the inside of the compartment for so moving said movable member, and resilient means for said movable member resisting such movement of said movable member.

9. Emergency release means for the bolt work of the door of a vault, comprising a lock and its lock bolt and an actuating arm for the bolt Work, said actuating arm provided with a locking lug, said lock bolt having a locking part, said locking part and said locking lug forming a pair of coacting locking members one of which is movable out of range of the other during locked relation between said part and said lug, and means operable at the inside of the door to move such movable member out of the path of the other of said coacting locking members to release said bolt Work during locking position of said lock bolt.

10. Emergency release means for the bolt Work of a closure of a compartment, comprising a lock and its lock Vbolt and an actuating arm for the bolt Work, said actuating arm provided With a locking part and said bolt having a coacting locking part one of which locking parts is movable out of range of the other of said locking parts during lo-cked relation of said lock bolt and arm, and a plunger at the inside of said closure to move said movable-locking part out of such range of the other of said coacting locking parts to release said bolt Work actuating arm during locking position of said lock bolt.

ll. Emergency release means for the bolt work of a closure of a compartment, comprising a lock and its lock bolt and an actuating arm for the bolt Work, said actuating arm provided with a locking part and said bolt having a coacting locking part, one of which locking parts is movable out of range of the other of said locking parts during locked relation of said lock bolt and arm, a plunger at the inside of said closure to move said movable locking part out of such range of the other of said coacting locking parts to release said bolt Work actuating arm during locking position of said lock bolt, and a handle at the inside of said closure for operating said bolt Work.

l2. Emergency release means for the bolt Work of a closure of a compartment, comprising a lock and its lock bolt and an actuating arm for the bolt Work, said actuating arm provided With a locking partand said bolt having a coacting locking part, one of which locking parts is movable from normal locking position out of range of the other of said locking'parts during locked relation of said lock bolt and arm, a plunger at the inside of said closure to move said movable locking part out of rsuch range of the other of said coacting locking parts to release said bolt Work actuating arm during locking position of said lock bolt, and a spring retracting said movable locking part to normal position.

13. Emergency release means for the bolt Work of a closure of a compartment, comprising a lock and its lock bolt and an actuating arm for the bolt Work, said actuating arm provided with a locking part and said bolt having a coacting locking part, one of which locking parts is pivotally movable from normal locking position out of range of the other of said locking parts during locked relation of said lock bolt and arm, a plunger at the inside of said closure to move said movable locking part out of such range of the other of said coacting locking parts to release said bolt Work actuating arm during locking position of said lock bolt, and a spring between said movable locking part and the part to which it is pivoted to urge said movable locking partV into normal position, said movable locking part and said last-named part provided with coacting shoulders to stop said movable locking part in its correct normal locking position.

14. Emergency release means for the bolt Work of a closure of a compartment, comprising a lock and its lock bolt and an actuating arm for the bolt Work, said actuating arm provided with a locking part and said bolt having a locking part pivoted thereto and coacting with said firstnamed locking part, a block ixed to said closure in spaced relation to said rst-named locking part when said arm is in its bolt projecting position, said pivoted locking part located in said space during locking position of said lock bolt, said pivoted locking part movable on its pivot out of range of said first-named locking part for release of said actuating arm during locked relation of said lock, and means at the inside of said closure to so move said pivoted locking part on its pivot.

15. Emergency release means for the bolt Work of a closure of a compartment, comprising a lock and its lock bolt and an actuating arm for the bolt Work, said actuating arm provided with a locking part and said bolt having `a coacting locking part, one of which locking parts is movable out of range of the other of said locking parts for release of said bolt Work actuating arm during locked relation of said lock bolt and arm, and means at the inside of said closure to so move said movable locking part.

16. Emergency release means for the bolt Work of a closure of a compartment, comprising a lock and its lock bolt and an actuating arm for the bolt Work, said actuating arm provided with a locking part and said lock bolt having a coacting locking part, one of Which locking parts is pivotally movable out of range of movement of the other of said locking parts for locating said locking partsl side by side upon unbolting of said bolt lWork during locked relation of said lock,

one of said locking parts recessed for accommodating the other of said locking parts when so located side by side, and means at the inside of said closure to pivotally move said pivotally movable locking part.

PAUL S. MILLICE. 

